Journal of the RUTLAND NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY Registered Charity Number 514693 www.rnhs.org.uk No 238 (250) May 2007 CONTENTS Noticeboard 1 Orthoptera report 11 F RNHS and other events 3 Glow-worm notes 13 Weather summary 4 Plant galls report 14 Amphibian and reptile report 5 Insects and others 14 i Bird report 6 Mycology notes 16 High tides in North Norfolk 8 Mammal report 18 e Botany notes 9 Bat report 20 Lepidoptera notes 10 l NOTICEBOARD 33 of us on an RNHS event saw a Camberwell d Beauty, reproduced here life size! See page 10. Note: Your next Fieldfare will be in July, not June as in previous years. f Joy Paterson retires – who can replace her? a Our talented Publicity Officer Joy Paterson has decided to take a estr from sorting out RNHS publicity. We are so grateful to her for all her dedication over the past years. Our Society has greatly benefited from her imagination and hard work. r The RNHS now urgently needs someone to take on the role of Publicity Officer. This is a vital role for the Society, as it is the way we spread the word about our indoor and outdoor meetings, and get reports of our activities into the local press. The role e generally involves: Chairman Mrs A Tomlinson l Contacting local libraries, newspapers and Rutland Radio with details of the River House, 9 Aldgate Meetings Programme; Ketton PE9 3TD 01780 721622 l Co-ordinating the way that write-ups of indoor and outdoor meetings (produced by various members throughout the year) are sent to the Press; Secretary Mrs L Worrall l Co-ordinating the distribution of our indoor meeting posters. 6 Redland Close Barrowden LE15 8ES You will get plenty of help from members of the Committee, and the work involved 01572 747302 should not be that onerous. It primarily needs an organised person to keep an eye Membership Secretary on dates and deadlines. An important point to note is you need to have Internet and Record Cards access and be able to send and receive emails. Mr G R Worrall contact: as Secretary above If you feel like embarking on a new media career, which should not impinge on Fieldfare Editor your time too much, please contact me. You would be greatly assisting the RNHS! Mrs H Ellis Ann Tomlinson, Chairman Old Hunt’s Maltings Water Street Stamford PE9 2NJ Verge Recorders 01780 482048 Regarding the recording of sightings of the brownfield species covered in the Programme Secretary Butterfly Conservation packs, please ensure that any sightings from verge visits are Mrs M Nourish sent to Jean Harvey in the usual way, and not direct to Butterfly Conservation. Beaumont Chase Farm Stockerston Road Uppingham LE15 9HJ uuuu 01572 823677 Derbyshire orchid trip – see details on page 3. Express Printing 01733 230800 Rare brownfield butterflies and moths The Society recently met with Butterfly Conservation regional officer Jane Ellis to discuss how RNHS could help in monitoring some priority species for the East Midlands. Our verge recorders have already received information about the specific butterflies and moths being targeted, so they can look for them when monitoring verges this summer. However members in general can help by looking out for these species as they walk though the countryside or over waste ground and other brownfield sites this season. We asked Jane to provide a simple guide: Look out for rare Brownfield butterflies and moths in the Rutland area! Butterfly Conservation needs the help of local naturalists to report sightings of rare species as part of a project on managing, restoring and reconnecting brownfield habitat for certain fast declining butterflies and moths. One of the key landscapes in this project focuses on the limestone area of Rutland stretching from North Luffenham to Stamford and from Collyweston north to Clipsham, where there are a number of active and disused limestone quarries, limestone verges, railway corridors and farm tracks. They have the sort of habitats suitable for a number of rare and declining species, such as the following: l Four-spotted moth is a UK BAP species which occurs at Ketton Quarry and is often associated with active and disused railway-lines, farm tracks and road-side verges. The adult is day-flying, quite tiny (wing span approximately 2 cm), has a distinctive bold white spot on each forewing and is best spotted nectaring on Ox- eye Daisy. The foodplant is Field Bindweed, which is known to occur on a number of the protected limestone verges in Rutland. Look out for Four-spotted moth on the wing from mid May to late June. In some years there is a second brood from Mid July through August. l Dingy Skipper is in national decline. Typical brownfield habitats are quarries, railway corridors and waste ground where it requires bare ground, with some taller vegetation for roosting and shelter and the main foodplant Bird’s-foot Trefoil. This species is likely to appear early this year so look for it throughout May. l Grizzled Skipper is again in serious national decline. Its black-and-white chequer-board markings make it quite distinctive. Again look out for it in quarries, railway corridors, limestone verges, embankments and cuttings where is utilises bare ground and lays its eggs on Wild Strawberry, Barren Strawberry or Creeping Cinquefoil. This species was on the wing in mid April 2007 – but may still be flying until mid May. l Finally, if anyone is lucky enough to spot Chalk Carpet moth it will be the first record for the East Midlands since 2002 (at Clipsham Quarry). I would be thrilled!! This is a day-flyer of sparsely vegetated limestone quarries and embankments. So happy recording – I look forward to hearing about your sightings! Jane Ellis, Butterfly Conservation Sightings to Jean Harvey as usual In order to ensure that our Society records are maintained comprehensively, please send any sighting of these species to Jean Harvey in the usual way for all Lepidoptera records. This will allow Jean to make sure the Society’s records are complete, and to then ensure that these records are passed to Adrian Russell, Recorder for Vice-County 55, as well as to Butterfly Conservation. Jean also points out that, with regard to the two very rare moth species mentioned in Jane’s article, any sightings should be notified to her as soon as possible so that local Recorders can alert a national specialist to visit the site in order to obtain verification. Roy Hunter, founder of the RNHS From Gloucester came the sad news of Roy that our society would not have existed today Hunter, who died on 6th April 2007, after being ill without his enthusiasm and foresight, and the since Christmas 2006. twist of fate that followed. Roy Hunter was the man responsible for founding Members will find the history of the first 25 years the Rutland Natural History Society. It is possible of the society, and Roy’s role in it, in the silver anniversary booklet. Briefly, Roy, a BTO member strongly lobbied for a natural history society. The and expert ornithologist, who lived and worked rest is history! in Oakham, had a vision of an active and Roy played an active part in the new important ornithological society in Rutland. He organisation, being the first secretary and initiated a general meeting to find out the interest ornithological recorder, until he and his wife of local people for the venture, and this was moved to Gloucester. held at the WI rooms in Gaol Street, Oakham, in February 1965. The funeral took place at All Saints’ church, Oakham, on 26 April. Mrs Jill Stapleton, joint The twist of fate was that naturalists who were secretary of the Society in those early days, at the time attending adult education classes on represented the Rutland Natural History Society. wildlife, at Ketton, heard about this meeting, and consequently turned up in force at Gaol Street and Philip Rudkin Orchid trip Sunday 24th June Please read this carefully if you have booked to go on the coach to Derbyshire. Booking for our trip to Derbyshire is now closed It is up to you to ensure you are there on time!! and we have a full coach! Our coach will take us to Buxton Country Park We can now confirm details, which are as follows. and Parsley Hay, near Monyash. If there is time, Our coach (T Line of Melton Mowbray) will pick we may also go to Monsal Station. This is a slight up at: change to the advertised programme, as there l would have been difficulty in getting a coach to 8.30 am at Church Road car park, Oakham the Bonsall Moor site. However the new sites are l 9 am at Danish Invader, Stamford on more level ground, and so should be even Will everyone who plans to get on at Oakham better for participants. please ring Mary Nourish on 01572 823677 (or The coach will return at 4 pm or thereabouts – to email [email protected]) before be confirmed on the day. the day, so she can check that all who should do Do please wear suitable clothing and footwear embark there. If you do not call her, we will suited to the conditions. You will also need to assume that you are getting on at Stamford. provide your own refreshments. RUTLAND Natural History SOCIETY events Wednesday June 12th, CHESTNUT FARM, TEIGH 7 pm Enjoy an evening walk around George Morley’s farm with Terry Mitcham as leader. Barn owls have nested here in the past and are often still seen, as are Red Kite and many other birds.